This invention relates to improved storage and holding containers for small articles, particularly for protection of fragile or pliable articles such as "soft" contact lens.
The widely-used soft contact lenses require protective storage containers which may also be used for disinfecting treatment of the lenses. Numerous commercially successfully storage and disinfecting lens containers have been developed such as those described in U.S. Pat. No. 3,770,113, in which each lens of the pair is separately retained and enclosed by a concaved basket-like cover member. The basket-like cover member is typically pivoted to open or close the enclosure. The basket-like cover member is provided with through apertures which allow passage of the conditioning or disinfecting fluid in which the lenses are immersed.
The basket-like cover members and the associated apertures are typically fabricated by thermoplastic injection molding techniques using mold tooling in which two molds meet during the molding operation along the periphery of the molded cover member apertures. That is to say the parting line defined by the mold tooling will lie, at least partially, in the general location of said apertures. As such, excess molding resin or "flash" may remain at the parting line and thus on the basket edge structure which define the basket apertures. This "flash" results in a sharp, jagged or rough edge surface that can be a hazard to a contact lens during removal of a lens which may have adhered to the basket. In this regard, the lens is removed manually by the user placing a finger on the lens and sliding it out of the concaved basket-like cover member. During this sliding moment, the presence of an underlying sharp edge can causes damage to the lens.
The disadvantages of conventional lens cover baskets are eliminated by the basket structure in accordance with the subject invention.